The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-05-27
VAN BAKERS STORY.
The Alleged Murderer Talks Freely In

The Alleged Murderer Talks Freely TO n
Visitor.
Van Baker, the man accused Of murder.
ing his wife and mother-in.lsw at Holl;.
days Covc, had talk with Rev, Mr..
Donehoo in the New Cumberland jail on
Wednesday, in which he said: H
"On the Monday afternoon that nv wifi,
and her mother, Mrs. McWha, yero lsst
eeen alive" said Prof. Baker to Mr., Done.
hoo, II had arranged to 60 to my mothers
house, at Cross Creek. My wife and /
we're out in the orchard little while. I
shall produce witnesses to prove they saw
US there. One, Mr. Ralston, will swear IA
to the time he saw us leave the orchard
and enter the house. From the time that
entered the house until l had to 20 10
station to take the train for Cross Creek /
had Just twenty minutes to spare. TLis
can be proven, because We were seen IN
90 to the house from the orchsrd, and
then WIS seen at the train, while certain.
ly those at Gross Greek know | wss thore
over night. To prove this murder on ma
It would be necessary to show that killed.
both women, took OF their clothes, hunted
up their night garments, and put them on
tho corpees, ransac&ed the trunks, packed
my vaiise and made the train-ali this in
twenty minutes"
THOSE TWENTY MINUTES,
when we went back to the house from
the orchard" continued Mr.. Baker, "Mrs.
McWhs, my wifs's mother, seemed TO be
greatly worried. She WAS an eecentr;c
lady, ss every body In Holliday's Core
knew. She started to tell me that peonls
had been bothering her all afternoon by
Knocking at the front door. Oncs or twics
che had responded and found nohodv
there. Ones afterwards three Italians had
knocked at the door on come trivial az.
euse. There wEs gang Of them working
near the house. She told me that f;nalIS
she got tired of answering the knocks, and
as she did LOT wsnt people 10 bother her
she hRa nGdo up her mird she
would not respond 10 the doc.
again. Then she said that somebody
came clear around to the rear door and
knocked, ard she deliberately slammed
the door shut, not seeing or caring who il
was. This explains the story thst has
been circulated that at half past 8 O'clock
that afternoon Mrs. Sga,ingsn and Mira.
Brown, two friends, called at the honsr'
They raIg tho door. bell. l. not bsinc
sn5%crea Mrs. Swaringen banded her baby
to Mrs. Blown and went around to tho
back door. She went to push it in and
had it partly open,iwhen it was slammed
IN her face. People Gay that may be | was
IN there numbering the women and
elammed the door shut.
After my mother.in.law got done tell
ing me ol thess annoysnces | packet my
ralise and Just had time 10 make the .rsin.h
$3.50 WAS STOLEN.
"Next morning when returned 10 my
home from Cross Creek found thu bodies
OF my murdered family, and l u! oncs
ao:ited the naighb2fs, who c3ms over.
The afternoon ! left home there WIS $3.50
in my trunk. Tho next day | looked for
it anu it was gone. That money has nsyer
been lound since, although the govern.
ment bonds turned up al! right. NV
theory always has been rince the murder
that those three ltslians committed the
deed for robbery, and the disappearance
OF the $3.50 only strengthens 1t. ! also re-
member that Mrs. McWha got g $50 bill
changed that afternoon. l found none OF
the change the next day, and know she
had no occasion to speud it.
They have thrown mo in here aud wont
make any attempt to work out my theory
OF the murder. In the meantime the de-
tec:ires are losing valuable time with GOOD
ciuea to tho robbery right in The house."